Finding Peace
by firerwolf
Summary: Something I'd hoped would be in the second episode of Fate of Atlantis. Natakas/Kasssandra spoilers for Legacy of the First Blade and Fate of Atlantis.


Finding Peace

Kassandra moved past the line of souls that were waiting patiently to pay their toll and move on to the afterlife. Charon spotted her and the ferryman waved her to approach him. "Ah, Kassandra, just the person I need. I've got another lost soul that needs your assistance." It always astounded Kassandra how peppy a man who had to deal with the dead constantly could be.

"I thought I'd helped all the lost souls that needed it," Kassandra pointed out as she reached the side of the river. "If you start finding more people for me to help I'll think you're just trying to keep me here. I hate to break it to you but if Adonis couldn't steal my heart from my love then neither can you."

"Give me a few centuries and maybe I could sway you," Charon joked with a good humored chuckle. "But first, the lost soul I need your help with."

Kassandra let out a resigned sigh and nodded her head. "All right, tell me who needs my help." It was annoying that even in the underworld she was being sent on errands. At least Charon was having her actively help people which she enjoyed doing rather than fetching random items for mundane reasons.

"I think that you'll be able to help this soul better than anyone else could," Charon informed her. "On the road north of here there's a man who's been wandering from place to place. He lost his child and if you can help ease his mind then I think he'll be able to pass on peacefully."

Kassandra hesitated for a moment, her mind turning to her son and the ache his absence left in her heart. "All right, I'll find him and try to bring him peace." Kassandra quickly moved away toward the north, not wanting for Charon to see her moment of weakness. Since reuniting her family and the raid at Dyme Kassandra had grown a weak spot for helping broken families.

She'd gotten to the nearest road north of the river when she realized she hadn't asked Charon what the man looked like. She decided it was too late to go back and ask the ferryman and she'd just keep an eye out for anyone that looked lost while she traveled. She passed a couple slowly moving women along her way, a couple soldiers who didn't look at all lost to her, and was attacked by a couple dogs. Because even in the underworld every animal wanted to kill her. Kassandra was about to give up and go back to ask Charon to clarify where the man was when she finally came across someone that stood out. The man ahead of her seemed to be exhausted, his feet dragging slightly, but he marched on relentlessly. He was a bit taller than Kassandra, his black hair seemed dirty like he had let his personal hygiene wane, and the blue cloth of his clothing was like a stab to Kassandra's heart.

Kassandra fought past the grief that threatened to choke her, fighting to get out a single word. "Natakas?" The man froze in place but didn't react further. "Natakas, my love?" she tried again.

Natakas turned around slowly, a devastated look on his face. He turned fully to face her and Kassandra got a good look at him. The man she'd always seen as a beaming light of joy and energy looked broken and defeated. His clothing was dirty, his shoulders were slouched, and as he looked back at her she could see panic grip him. "No, no, no, no," he started to mutter urgently. He stumbled toward her, reaching out to her. "They have him! If you're here who can save him?"

The reason for Natakas' panic clicked in Kassandra's head and she rushed forward to him. They reached each other and Kassandra wrapped her lover in her arms, holding him tight to her chest. "Shhh, it's all right, my love," she said, trying to soothe him as his body trembled.

"It's not all right," Natakas asserted as he pulled away slightly. She could see the tears that fell from his eyes as she realized he was crying. "They have Elpidios. The Order has him!" His hands gripped her upper arms as tight as he could. "He needed me and I couldn't protect him and they took him. I'm such a terrible father. He needed me to protect him and I failed." It broke Kassandra's heart to see Natakas so distraught and hurt. He deserved joy and peace not to be breaking down and believing himself a poor father. Natakas straightened up a bit, his eyes wide as though he'd just thought of something. "Did my father survive? He can save Elpidios."

"Your father is fine," Kassandra quickly assured him, taking any chance to ease his mind. "And so is Elpidios." That caught Natakas' attention and he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out though his grip on her arms weakened. "And so am I, my love. I'm not dead." She stumbled when it came to explaining it all. There was a story to tell but she balked at speaking of the painful events out loud.

"How are you here but not dead?" Natakas' furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Atlantis," Kassandra answered, knowing that he would not only understand but also that he would believe her. Out of everyone in the world Natakas was the one person she could be honest about fighting mythical beasts and he'd believe her. "Your father and I saved Elpidios form the Order, he's safe and so is your father. They're together and safe."

Natakas visibly relaxed and his hands moved from her arms to hold her hands. He let out a long breath and it was like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. "Of course you saved them both, I should have never doubted you." His hands squeezed hers lightly and she returned the gesture. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, his face falling slightly. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect our son."

"You?!" Kassandra couldn't stop the word bursting from her mouth. Nor could she stop the ones that followed. "Earlier that very day I had promised you that I would protect you and Elpidios. I couldn't even keep that promise for more than a couple hours. You trusted me to take care of you, keep you both safe and when you needed me I abandoned you. If I had been on that beach you would have been fine and they never would have set a hand on Elpidios and we'd be together. A happy family." The words tumbled from her lips and she was aware of the dampness of her cheeks but she couldn't stop herself. "Instead you're both gone and it's my fault."

"You said Elpidios was fine," Natakas pointed out, a confused look on his face.

"He is, but I sent him away with your father," Kassandra explained, the tears now flowing freely and her breath a bit uneven. "I can't protect him, I knew that the day they attacked Dyme and I lost you. But I can keep their attention in Greece. I can protect him by keeping their focus on me so that he can live. I can't be his mother, but I can kill, and if killing any member of the Order I can find will protect him then I will kill them at every chance."

Natakas reached out and pulled Kassandra toward him, holding her against his chest. He just let her cry until she couldn't cry any more. And she was thankful for it. She'd missed the comfort he offered her, the peace that she only felt with him, and the warmth of his arms. When she finally calmed down Kassandra forced herself to pull away from him. If she didn't then they'd stay like that forever and she needed to remember she was in the Underworld for a reason. She also remembered that she'd been sent to find Natakas for a reason as well. "You don't belong here," she informed him.

"I'm dead," Natakas pointed out. "Even you can't change that, Love."

"No, I mean you don't belong here in the Underworld. You belong in Elysium," Kassandra clarified.

"Elysium?" Natakas shook his head and laughed nervously. "That's a place for heroic warriors, not people like me."

"You died protecting our son," Kassandra countered. "I can't think of anything more heroic."

"But I didn't protect him," Natakas asserted. "You saved him, took on the Order for him, and he's safe because of you. If anyone belongs in Elysium it would be you."

"A warrior who falls in battle can still be a warrior worthy of Elysium as long as his heart is brave. And your heart is braver than any I have known, my love." Kassandra knew that she couldn't leave him here in the Underworld. "I'll make a deal with you," she offered reaching out to take one of Natakas' hands. She started to move down the road toward the river. He followed without question, letting her take the lead. "You go to Elysium, and you find a small house that's in the southeastern fields. It's my childhood home. Go there and that way when my time comes to walk the fields myself then you'll be there waiting for me."

Natakas appeared to want to disagree but after a moment he nodded his head. "I can agree to that," he finally said.

Kassandra squeezed his hand lightly, happy to have finally convinced him. She would worry about arguing with Charon later. As they walked she told him the story of how she retrieved their son, killed the man who had caused The Order to hunt his family, and of the rebellion that she'd help raise in Elysium. He found it amusing that she'd turned down Adonis for him.

When they reached the dock at the river Charon seemed pleased. "I see you were able to help the lost soul," he said as they neared.

"I managed what you asked, though I haven't faced such a difficult challenge in all my life," Kassandra replied. "Though I have a favor to ask of you. There's something of mine I need delivered to Elysium." Kassandra motioned toward Natakas who was amused by her request.

Charon deliberated for a moment before he nodded. "Seeing as you've been so helpful I'm willing to deliver your affects for you. Beside, it is my job to help take people to their resting place."

"Thank you, Charon," Kassandra said before she turned to Natakas. She kissed him, knowing that it might be the last time she kissed him for a very long time. He pulled her close and when they broke apart he was grinning. She took a moment to memorize his face before she stepped away. "By the way, you'll probably come across Leonidas. If you do tell him your relation to me and he should welcome you."

"I'll approach him cautiously," Natakas assured her. He clearly didn't want to leave her but they both knew that he had to go. "I hope that I don't see you for a long time," he finally said.

"I think that it will be a long time," Kassandra assured him. She didn't want to tell him that it would be longer than either of them wanted. The vision that the relic had shown her indicated it would be a very long time before she met the Heir of Memories. "For now, I always have a piece of you with me." She reached back and gently touched his bow on her back. She looked to Charon who had prepared the ferry for the trip. "I love you, Natakas."

"And I love you," Natakas replied, finally turning away and moving toward the waiting ferry. Charon held out his hand and after a second of confusion Natakas pulled out a couple coins from his pocket and passed them over. Kassandra knew they were the coins she'd buried with him for the journey, down to the coin that had a long scratch along it's face that she'd deliberated not using for fear it wouldn't retain it's worth in death. Charon took the coins and Natakas stepped onto the ferry and sat down. "I'll wait for you," he said as Charon pushed off form the dock.

Kassandra watched as they moved away down the river and she couldn't help feel the same hollow feeling she felt when she buried Natakas. Although there was a comfort knowing that he was going somewhere peaceful, it still hurt to lose him again. She knew it would be a long time before they could have the life of ease that they'd wanted before the Order ruined it. Once they were out of view she forced herself to turn away and move on. She still needed to learn how to wield the staff and she'd spent enough time away from the task.


End file.
